Oliva incrassata
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| Oliva incrassata | |
|---|---|
| Five views of a shell of Oliva incrassata | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Neogastropoda |
| Family: | Olividae |
| Genus: | Oliva |
| Species: | O. incrassata |
| Binomial name | |
| Oliva incrassata | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
|
Oliva burchorum Zeigler, 1969 | |
Oliva incrassata, the angled olive or giant olive, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Olividae, the olives.[2]
This species is widespread from California to Peru.[3]
Habitat
These sea snails live at the low-tide level, at the outer side of sandspits.[4]
Description
Shells of Oliva incrassata can reach a length of 32–95 millimetres (1.3–3.7 in).[3] These relatively large shells are almost cylindrical, very thick, ovate, angularly swollen in the middle, with a rather short spire, a narrow and long aperture and usually with uniformly colored body whorls, except in the columellar area. The basic color background may vary from ash-white or greyish to light yellow and brown, mottled with gray and olive, with angled transverse dark chestnut streaks and a fleshy rosy pink columellar area.[4][5]
Biology
The Giant Olives are active predators. At night they search for food, while during the day they bury themselves beneath the sand and mud.